US724275A - Mowing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

1w/24,275. l l PATENTED MAR.31, 1903.

- G. K. FLOWER.

MOWING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED ooT.ao, 1901. xmmwnn JAN. 12.' 190s.

'No MODEL.

l 'NITED STATES-1 PATENT EEICE.

GEORGE K.. FLOWER, OF PrrTs'nURGfPENNSYLVANIA.

luoWiNG-ivlAoHl-NEL sPEcIFIcA'rrO refining tart of Letters Patent No. 724,275, dated March 31, 1903.

Application filed Otober 30, 19011 Renewed January 12, 1903* Serial No. 138,627. (No model.)

chinos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this '1b specification, in which- Figure l is a plan View vof a portion of my improved mowing-machine bar. similar view, the blade-guides havingbeen removed. Fig. 3 is a vlongitudinal sectional viewon the line IH III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vcross-sectional View on the line'IV IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side View in elevation of 'one of the fingers or guards detached. Fig.

6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to` 2o Fig. 4., but showing the guards composed of 'one piece and provided with upper portions lcorresponding to the blade-guide, but made integral with the main guide. Fig. 7 is a lan View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the nife in a different position at the commencement of the cutting operation in one direction, i

the position of the knife at Athe approximate termination of the operative portion of the stroke being indicated in dotted lines.

My invention consists of an improvement in mowing and reaping machinery, and refers more particularly to the guards for the knife or sickle and means incorporated therewith by which the grass or other crop being cut` may be partially severed by theupper por-l 4o the most powerful portion of its stroke utilized to the best advantage, and the operation generally rendered more positive, accurate, and with less trouble, due to the clogging of the 'parts by' accumulation of grass,- &c., than heretofore.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 represents the usual linger or guard commonly employed on machines of this character, a series of which guards are secured to a stationary bar 5o 3 by means of bolts 4 or otherwise, such iingers being provided with suitable ways in which is mounted the vibrating bar 5, carry- Fig. 2 isa `proveme'nt is designed to overcome.

ing the usual knife or sickle 6, which Vrests upon the upper face of the stationary knifeplate '7, against the edges 8 of `which the tapered edgesof the knivesor sickles bear f Ain the operation of shearing in the manner vided with an upper rearwardly-extending shield or fender 9, adapted to protect the knife-blades and to provide an upper edge -4 on each side against which the grass, f&c., may bearunder the action of the knife. rlhe width of suchY lingers is usually somewhat narrower than the width of the stationary knife or ledger plate 7, and practically the full length of the cutting edges of the shears or sickles is utilized during the larger portion of the stroke in both directions, the result of which is that the points l0 of the knife not only have to perform the hardest lpart of the work by reason of the fact that some of the grass is forced forward toward the point and accumulated there in a dense collection and also that a greater amount of grass is embraced between the points and the back of the knives, but during such portion of the stroke, coming, as it does, at or about the limit of the forward and back stroke of the knife-bar, the knife thereby receives its movement from the actuating-crank when it is approximately about at its dead-center. This is a serious disadvantage and is one which my present im- Furthermore, by reason of the excess of work thus'be'ing thrown upon the point of the knife frequent regrinding becomes necessary and the wear is not proportionate through- Vout,thus considerably shortening the available life of the knife. A further disadvantage is that by reason of the tapering formation mencing to cut, so that thel cleaning of the' knives and freeing of the accumulated grass from them may be facilitated.= These disadvantages are overcome in my present invention by the use of upper supplemental plates or guards 11, either secured upon the upper surface of the usual fingers or guards 2, as shown in the principal figures of the drawings, or by forming the main guard 2 in one piece and providing it with outwardly-extending lateral edges corresponding to the edges of the plate 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. This plate approximately conforms to the shape of the mowing-machine guard, extends forward, and terminates in a sharp point 12. The upper edges are sloped backwardly and outwardly to a point 13 somewhat back of the approximate line of the points of the knives, at which point the plate -guard is widest and at which point it extends considerably beyond the edges 8 of the stationary knife 7 at each side. Back of such point the plate is considerably narrowed, being curved in on each side, as shown, brought within the width of the cutting edges 8, and extending back into a rear guard 14, approximating in position and shape the usual shield or fender 9. The result of this construction is that in its forward travel through the grass it will force the grass away on each side beyond the lateral stationary cutting edges 8 until it travels back to the point 13, when it will fall back against the stationary cutting edge in a position to be sheared, so that the main cutting action will be performed by that portion of the knife between the points indicated by the letters a b, as shown in Fig. 7, during the time when the stroke of the actuatingcrank is strongest, and thus relieving the points from the excessive wear which I have described.

It will be'seen that before the knife commences to cut it will have considerable momentum, due to the fact that the cutting operation is comprised and accomplished within a less portion of its stroke, which portion is the middle portion, While the stroke itself may be also considerably increased, due to the fact that the point of the knife may travel outwardly on each side a distance equaling the amount of difference between the width of the lower fender and that of the upper.

plate-guard without exposing the knife-point. This dierence is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and is indicated by the distances represented by the letters @c and e, respectively.

The tapering edges of the plate 13 aref ground or filed on', so as to provide sharp edges 15, which in the forward travel of the machine will cut or partially cut tangled grass, heavy stalks, weeds, dto., thus relieving the work of the knives and greatly facili-` tating the operation.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 'the edges 15 may be sharpened by hollow-grinding the guards at an angle,` as indicated by the line c c, thus insuring the same beneficial result The up per plate G (or when made integral the upper back sloping portions of the guard) is preferably provided with a series of notches 16, adapted to engage the blades of grass, so as to more securely hold them against the action of the knife.

As thus constructed my invention overcomes the serious difficulties .which I have described and in practice has proved itself to be desirable, efficient, and valuable for the purposes in view in a high degree, and the invention will be appreciated by all those accustomed to this class of machinery. It is very simple and inexpensive in construction and operation, not liable to get out of order, and increases the efliciency of the machine.

Various changes and modifications may be made by the skilled mechanic in the design, proportions, or other details of construction without varying from my invention, and I do not desire to be limited to the exact form shown and described, but to include all such changes as within the scope of the following claims.

1. In a mowing-machine a knife-guard provided with an upper supplemental plate having lateral cutting edges tapering toward the point extending beyond the knife-guard at each side, and provided with a back narrower portion.

2. In a mowing-machine a knife-guard provided with an upper supplemental plate having lateral cutting edges tapering toward the point extending beyond the knife-guard at each side and provided with a back narrower IOO portion and means for arresting and holding the grass.

3. In a mowing-machine the combination of a knife-guard provided with a stationary knife, a tapering vibrating shear-knife and an upper portion projecting beyond the stationary knife for a portion of its length, at each side in the direction of travel of the vi brating knife.

4. In a mowing-machine the combination of a knife-guard provided with a stationary knife, a tapering vibrating shear-knife and an upper portion projecting beyond the stationary knife for a portion of its length at each side in the direction of travel of the vibrating knife, and tapered toward the point.

5. In a mowing-machine,the combination of a knife-guard provided with a stationary knife, a tapering vibrating shear-knife, and an upper guard portion projecting beyond the station ary knife for a portion of its length at each side in the direction of travel of the vibrating knife, such upper guard portion being tapered toward its point, and provided IIO led ger-plate and a vibrating shear-knife; of an upper portion projecting beyond the ledgerplate for a portion of its length, at each side in the direction of travel of the vibrating knife, tapered toward one end, provided with shoulders,-laterally-recessed portions, and

notches in such recessed portions immediately back of the shoulders.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE K. FLOWER.

Vitnesses:

R. H. MCLARN, C. M. CLARKE.

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